National Year of Reading 2008

Aberystwyth and Ceredigion are proving pivotal to the National Year of Reading in Wales. The organisation at the forefront of activity is the Aberystwyth based Welsh Books Council, supported by Ceredigion’s Geraint Lewis as reading champion. Meanwhile the campaign’s website, competitions and publicity is being driven nationally by local company FBA.

Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Welsh Books Council Director, explained, "When the Welsh Assembly Government announced 2008 would be designated as the National Year of Reading in Wales, the Books Council was invited to coordinate activities to promote reading and literature. We’ve been working with a range of partners across the private, public and voluntary sectors to highlight the benefits of reading through a range of projects and campaigns including ‘Give a Book Week’ and the ‘Reading Communities’. Being based in Aberystwyth it has been most encouraging for us to see the enthusiasm for all the year’s activities throughout Ceredigion."

Projects on a national and local level include celebrities such as Guto Harri, Iolo Williams, Angharad Mair and Max Boyce selecting and giving books to one another; local reading groups being established; the appointment of two Reading Communities and a whole host of library led activities. The final months of the Year of Reading will see the launch of the 08 Clubs - encouraging teenagers, especially boys from across Wales to join reading clubs, meet celebrities and be in with the chance of winning reading related prizes.

Geraint Lewis, author and former Assistant Director of Education and Community Services for Ceredigion Council, has been appointed as the first Reading Champion for the Year. His role sees him inspiring others to pick up a book so that even more people enjoy the pleasure of reading.

Commenting, Geraint said "I’m delighted to have been appointed to the role of Reading Champion. Books have played a central part in my life and career, particularly when working as a Librarian and now as an author. It’s a great privilege to be involved in the National Year of Reading which is so vital to helping develop skills, widen horizons and also creating common interest in new ideas – especially amongst young people."

Supporting the activity is PR, Marketing and Design Company FBA who were appointed to spearhead the publicity campaign in Wales. Sue Balsom, FBA’s Managing Director comments, "The Welsh Books Council is a major contributor to the economy of Mid Wales and to the creative sector. Together with the National Library and the University of Wales, Aber is a fulcrum of learning and knowledge based businesses. As a local company, our team was very pleased to be selected for this prestigious account."